Jörmungandr
by BloodLily16
Summary: When Six and Peri go to visit the Diamond Palace of Jörmungandr Three, they find the colony destroyed, with no survivors except for a young girl, who tells them of a huge serpentine creature. Can they figure out what happened? Or will the huge snake get them first?
1. Part One

As a young girl growing up in a deep space colony, you got so used to excitement that it became... Unexciting. Everyday was an adventure, from watching the stars beside your astronomer father, to naming new flora with your botanist mother. After a while, you wanted something... Normal. Most children back on Earth would have loved to trade places with you, and sleep in a house made out of alien wood, a wood house unlike anything since the beginning Twenty-First century, and not having to worry about waking your neighbors up when you clomped around, pretending to be some long-dead creature that had lived before your species took its first steps. You, you just wanted some peace and quiet. So naturally, you woke up one night to bloodcurdling screams.

—•—•—

When the first shriek sounded I bolted up. The Scandinavian Colony was usually very peaceful, with the exception of the natural disasters that were expected after terraforming. Why were they screaming?

"SNÁKUR!" Screamed one person. "Björt snákur!" I sighed and rolled over. Some of the colonists had phobias of snakes and spiders. While I wasn't a big fan of spiders, (I attributed it to childhood trauma, I'd almost died after a spider bit me,) I quite liked snakes. The colony herpetologist, Albin Christeson, pointed and laughed at those people... But then I realized who'd screamed. Dr. Albin himself! I sprang out of bed and rushed to the window. The sight I saw terrified me.

It was a björt snákur, or huge snake! It was easily twice the length of the shuttle that had brought us here, and as big around as one of the millennia-old trees that bordered the settlement! The beast was snow-white, and it had pale pink wattle hanging off of its chin, and yellow eyes so pale they were practically white. Its mouth was filled with fangs, each dripping with pine-green venom.

"Alva!" Screamed my mother, running in. "Ner till källaren, skynda!" I tore my gaze away from the window, but not in time to miss the snake swallow one of the colonists whole.

"Var är pappa?" I asked as she dragged me down the stairs.

"Ätas." She sobbed. My heart shattered.

"Nej..." I whispered. Mother pushed me to the cellar as the snake roared and rammed into the house, shattering the door Pappa had made in his spare time, carving in the designs of the stars above us.

"Skynda Mamma!" I shouted, inside the threshold of the cellar. Mother looked at me, kissed me on the head, then shoved the door shut, locking it from the outside. "MAMMA!" I screamed, pounding on the door. "NEJ!"

"Jag är en krigare." I heard her say to the snake. "Du har dödat min man, och du hotar att döda min dotter, så nu ska jag döda dig!" She yelled a war cry, then the snake roared. And then there was silence.

"... Mamma?" I asked, hesitantly. Then I heard it roar in triumph, and could do nothing but weep, for my family, and for my lost friends, still screaming outside.

—•—•—

"See Peri?" Asked the Doctor smugly. "Jörmungandr Three, 2195. I think you owe me an apology."

"Why would you think that?" Asked Peri, leaning against the wall.

"Because you said that I couldn't pilot the TARDIS." Said the Doctor, puffing up like an angry parrot. "And I told you I well could! So you told me-"

"That you better be able to take us to someplace relaxing!" Said Peri. "And a ruined village doesn't cut it!"

"A what?"

Peri pointed to the screen, which displayed an abandoned settlement. The houses were empty and dilapidated, and not a soul remained.

"What-" The Doctor checked the console, working many different bits and bobs. "But this is one of Jörmungandr's golden years, when they find the Diamond Palace! It was one of the wonders of the universe, an entire city carved out of a six kilometer long block of diamond! This has gone horribly wrong!" He opened the doors and ran outside, Peri following after.

"This isn't right!" Cried the Doctor. "That's the Borg residence, over there, and then that's Dr. Christeson's cottage, but they've all been wrecked!"

"Borg? Like the tennis player?" Peri asked as she made her way over to the large home.

"Yes, I suppose." Mused the Doctor, following. "Alf was a good friend of mine, back a while ago."

"Did he make this door?" Asked Peri, picking up two of the pieces and fitting them together. "It's beautiful!"

"And a astronomically correct star chart." He answered, observing the wreckage. "You know what's troubling?"

"The fact that we can't seem to stay out of trouble?" Quipped Peri, trying to fit the pieces together.

"No." Said the Doctor, flashing her a glare. "The door's been shattered from a blunt force about the size of a loaf of bread, coming down from an angle of about, sixty degrees? There's nothing on this planet that could do anything like that, and there won't be anything for decades!"

"Story of our lives, I guess." Muttered Peri. "Let's check inside."

The Doctor bounded inside the house. The living room was a shambles, furniture and decor in pieces scattered all around, and what looked suspiciously like blood on the kitchen floor.

"Hm..." Muttered the Doctor, leaning to examine it. "Well, it's not human... But what is it?"

"Help!" Shouted a raspy voice from a door. "Is anyone out there? Captain Harold? Mr. Hurst? Anyone?"

"Just a moment!" Said the Doctor, trying the doorknob. It was locked.

"Are you alright?" Asked Peri, as the Doctor went to work on the door.

"I'm hungry and thirsty, but I'm unharmed." The door swung open to reveal a dark-haired girl with wide, bloodshot eyes, still in her pajamas.

"Alva?" Asked the Doctor, peering at her.

"Who are you?" Asked Alva, leaning back and almost falling down the stairs. "How do you know my name?"

"I know your father." Said the Doctor, steadying her. "Where are your parents?" Alva's eyes filled with tears.

"It took them! It ate them both, and then killed everyone else! It was awful, I could hear them all screaming as it hunted them down and ate them!" She sobbed, burying her face in her hands. The Doctor worriedly noticed that even though her back was shaking, no tears came out.

"How long were you in there?" Asked Peri.

"I don't know!" Alva sobbed, coughing a little bit. "Mamma locked me in here and then tried to kill it, but it got her too! Maybe days, maybe hours?"

"Have you had any water in that time?" Asked the Doctor. "Or food?" Alva shook her head and the Doctor pulled her up.

"We should get you back to the TARDIS." He said. "Come along Peri."

Alva shuffled along beside the Doctor, then stopped when she saw the TARDIS.

"What is that?" She asked.

"It's the TARDIS." Said Peri, leaning down to her level. "It's a time-machine."

"If you think I'm going to believe that, then you are crazier than my Gramma, and," she said, eyeing the Doctor's coat, "have even worse dress sense."

"Charming girl." Muttered the Doctor, letting go of Alva and stalking into the blue box. There was a pause, then he poked his head back out. "Aren't you coming?" He asked. Peri walked inside, and Alva, figuring she could give her rescuers the benefit of the doubt, poked her head inside. Instead of the cramped, wooden interior she was expecting, she saw the console room in all its glory.

She gasped and brought her head out, and ran around the TARDIS, brushing her fingers against the sides. When she was done, she ran inside, breathless with excitement.

"It's bigger on the inside." She exclaimed.

"Oh really?" Asked the Doctor snidely. "What a surprise."

"But, how?" Asked Alva, pacing around the room. "It's beyond almost anything modern science could conceive of!"

"Well." Said the Doctor, puffing up with pride. "I'm just a bit beyond 'modern science'."

"That is an understatement!" Alva spun around, then faced the Doctor, a smile on her face. Then her expression drooped.

"Pappa would have loved to see this." She said.

"He has." Said the Doctor. "It was a slightly different model, but..." His voice trailed off as he stared up at the scanner.

"What is it?" Asked Peri.

"Hm." He said. "I thought I saw something. Nevermind." He turned his attention back to Alva. "Let's get you some food. Peri?" He looked at his companion. "Take her to the kitchen and get her some food, would you?" Peri looked at him exasperatedly, then smiled at Alva.

"Sure." She took Alva's hand and walked her to the kitchen. "What do you like to eat?"

"Just about anything at this point." Alva admitted.

"We have just about everything." Said Peri with a wry smile. "How about... Bacon, eggs, and orange juice?"

"Yes please!" Alva said, smiling. Peri pressed a few buttons on the food dispenser and handed her a bag of orange juice and a small bar. Alva took it and nibbled on the bar hesitantly, then with more enthusiasm as she sat down. Peri noted that she seemed to be pacing herself as Alva began sipping at the orange juice.

"Thank you very much." Said Alva when she was done. "This box is full of wonders!"

"It most certainly–" Peri was cut short by the TARDIS shaking violently, throwing the both of them to the floor.

"What the–" Peri asked, only to be cut off by another tremor.

"Peri, Alva, come quickly!" Shouted the Doctor.

The two ran over to the console room and gaped at the scanner. The white snake was frantically trying to swallow the TARDIS, beard-like wattles flapping wildly.

"It's back." Yelped Alva as the snake rocked the TARDIS again. "It's come back!"

**Bloody: Ooooweoooooooooo... Dun dun dun. This was one of the best ideas that's ever stemmed from a dream. Only in the dream, the snake ate souls too...**

**Unicorn Plushie: Bloody doesn't own it, if she did, she'd PWN it!**

**Bloody: What does that even mean?**

**UP: IDK.**

**Bloody: Whatever. R&R! **

**UP: And the translations are:**

**_SNÁKUR!_****: Snake!**

**_Ner till källaren, skynda!_****: To the cellar, hurry!**

**_Var är pappa?_****: Where's pappa?**

**_Ätas:_**** Eaten.**

**_Nej..._****: No...**

**_Skynda, Mamma!_****: Quickly Mamma!**

**UP: And so on. Bye!**


	2. Part Two

As the snake was about to swallow them, the Doctor quickly pressed some buttons on the console. There was a large crackling sound, and the snake spit them out, hissing and roaring as it fled.

"What did you do?" Asked Peri.

"Electrified the outside." Said the Doctor calmly. "It was quite simple, really."

"Then why did you not do it sooner?" Asked Alva, shaking as she stared at the scanner. "It almost ate us!"

"I wanted a good look at its insides." The Doctor said. He pressed a few buttons and looked up at the scanner, now displaying a list of serpentine creatures. "It'll help narrow down the search."

"A good look? Because of your stupid curiosity, we were almost a part of its insides!" Shouted Peri.

"Well it wasn't going to open up and say 'ahh', now was it?" The Doctor asked, full attention on the scanner. "Well?"

"You're insane!" Shouted Alva. "That thing ate everyone in the colony, and you almost let it eat us to satisfy your curiosity!"

"I am insane." Admitted the Doctor, "but I do have a method to my madness. The TARDIS took the opportunity to scan its physiology. A search through the database should provide the identity of our mystery snake." The search narrowed until the scanner pulled up a picture of the snake in all its glory. The Doctor scowled at it. "That can't be right." He said, pressing a button. The scanner beeped again and the Doctor shook his head, beginning to pace.

"What is it?" Asked Peri, staring at the screen.

"The scanner says it's a F'Tindrl, a sentient species originating on the planet Helfus."

"But?" Peri asked.

"They're a peaceful, docile race!" Said the Doctor. "They'd never massacre a colony, especially one of a planet that has done them no harm!" He turned around to face them. "Something is definitely not right."

"What if it's some form of primordial F'Tindrl?" Asked Alva. "One on raw instinct?"

"No! The DNA would be different, but it says that it is a F'Tindrl, and for that matter, more evolved than those currently on Helfus!" The Doctor wove his fingers together, tapping his hands against his chin. "What's going on?"

"Is it about the diamond structure we found?" Asked Alva. "We'd just communicated it to Earth, I went to bed, and that's when the attack came."

"Definitely a possibility." Said the Doctor. "But who would do such a thing as massacre a colony with a species that's normally pacific for a six-kilometer diamond palace?"

"I can think of too many people for my liking." Said Peri. "The Cybermen maybe, or the Sontarans. Then there's countless others... Like Sil." She shuddered, remembering the ordeal on Varos.

"Who are you people?" Asked Alva. "You a have a bigger-on-the-inside time machine, and you can name several groups of those who would do such a thing. And how did you know about the structure? You knew how long it was, and Mr. Temras's nickname for it!"

"We're... complicated." Peri said.

"I can see that." Alva said. "But how complicated are you, exactly?"

"Very complicated." Said Peri.

Alva sighed and returned her attention to the Doctor.

"What now?" She asked.

"We put the old brain cells to work." He said, sitting down. "And give this matter a good ponder."

"**** PONDERING!" Shouted Alva. "PEOPLE HAVE DIED, AND YOU'RE SITTING AROUND WHEN YOU SHOULD BE DOING SOMETHING!"

"What would you do?" Asked the Doctor, barely even fazed. "Run off and try to kill it? Your mother tried that, and look how that ended."

"DON'T YOU DARE BRING MY MOTHER INTO THIS!" Screamed Alva.

"Are you done?" Asked the Doctor. Alva screamed something intelligible at him, then stormed out the doors.

"Alva, wait!" Peri said, but was stopped from going after her when the distraught preteen slammed the doors shut in her face. Peri turned around and glared at the Doctor, her hands on her hips.

"What?" He asked after a while.

"There is a thing called 'tact' in the world, y'know." Peri said.

"And I've put it to use on several occasions." He answered. "Just now, for instance."

"You call that tact?!" Asked Peri incredulously. "That was not tact!"

"I thought I handled it quite well." Said the Doctor, getting up to pace around the room. "It's not my fault if the girl's a might touchy."

"Considering what you said and what she's been through, I'm surprised she didn't take a swing at you!" Shouted Peri.

"Are you going to run off too?" Asked the Doctor, not even sparing her a glance.

"I might!" Peri said, then paused at the same time the Doctor stopped pacing.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Asked the Doctor.

"Depends. Are you thinking that the snake-"

"-might still be out there?"

The Doctor and Peri looked at each other, then ran out the door after Alva.

—•—•—

Alva stomped through the forest, kicking at a stone and watching with a small degree of satisfaction as it rolled down the hill. The Doctor was so cruel! He acted so snide, and had no regard for human lives! And he had no right to talk about her mother like that!

Alva stewed in these thoughts as she stomped down the hill, trying not to slip on the leaves. She was paying so much attention to her footing, that she almost crashed into-

"Dr. Temras?!" She asked with a start. "You're alive!"

"And so are you, my dear Alva!" Said the man. "I though you were dead, along with everyone else!"

"No!" She said, grinning. "I was trapped in the basement, and the snake could not get to me." Her expression dropped and she looked at the ground. "...But it ate Mamma." Dr. Temras put his hand on her shoulder.

"I am sorry for your loss." He said. "And forgive me for asking, but you said you were trapped?"

"There were some people who came along." Said Alva. "Peri and the Doctor."

"Doctor who?" Asked Dr. Temras.

"... I don't know." She said. "They had a spaceship that was bigger on the inside, and the Doctor mentioned that he knew Pappa." Dr. Temras gripped her shoulder.

"Oh no, Alva." He said. "Those two are pirates!"

"How would you know that?" Asked Alva. Temras looked around, then leaned in.

"Alright. I was instructed to tell no-one this, but I am actually a special agent for the Swedish Government. We didn't want any panic, but the man, the Doctor, is actually an alien."

"An alien?" Asked Alva incredulously.

"Yes." Said Temras. "He and his femme fatale, Ms. Perpugilliam Brown, have been plaguing colonies for months. They make everyone disappear, then take everything for themselves. Once we discovered the Diamond Palace, I knew that they'd try something like this, so I left to secure the Palace. Once I got back, the village was in ruins, and I didn't even think to check for survivors, for I was sure there would be none. For that, I am sorry."

"What can I do to help?" Asked Alva.

"You do not have to-"

"Please." Said Alva. "I was there when Mamma was killed by the beast. I want to put her to rest."

"Do you know the path to the Palace?" Asked Dr. Temras.

"Yes."

"Then you know that there is a crossing to the hot springs, and that some of the rocks cannot support their weight?"

"Do you want me to lead them into the springs?" Asked Alva.

"Yes. The rocks are slick, and they should not be able to climb back out until I've readied a holding cell for them. Can you do that?"

Alva nodded and Dr. Temras stood up.

"Good girl." He said, patting her head. "Now run along." Alva smiled and ran towards the TARDIS, no doubt in her mind. After all, she'd known Dr. Temras for years. What reason was there to doubt him?

If only she knew...

**Bloody: Well, that wasn't foreboding at all.**

**Unicorn Plushie: Bloody doesn't own Doctor Who, Read and Review, good-bye!**

**Bloody: What's the hurry?**

**Unicorn: We're going to that Italian place you were telling me about, remember? You said we were going with some fellow RPers to watch Five and Tegan on a set-up date.**

**Bloody: Oh yeah! But first, I want to answer a review.**

**Paradox Predator: It is intriguing, especially if you know the mythology behind it.**

**Bloody: Au Revoir!**


	3. Part Three

"Alva!" Called Peri, scanning the trees. "Alva! Oh..." Peri paused, her hands dropping to her sides, then turning to glare at the Doctor. "This is all your fault! She could be lost!"

"After spending a year exploring these woods? Ha!" The Doctor said, looking around.

"Doctor! Peri!" The two whipped around towards the sound of Alva's voice.

"Alva!" Shouted Peri. "Over here!" Alva burst out of the trees, coming to a halt. "Where were you?"

"I took a walk to clear my head... and I wanted to say that I'm sorry... I overreacted." Alva looked at the ground.

"Apology accepted." Said the Doctor, puffing up a little bit. "Although..." He glanced at Peri, who looked at him expectantly. "I may have... Overstepped my bounds... A little bit." Peri raised an eyebrow.

"Shake on it? No hard feelings?" Asked Alva. She held out her hand. The Doctor raised an eyebrow, but shook it all the same. "Good." She said, dropping her hand to her side.

"We were worried about you." Said Peri. "We thought you might have been eaten by the F'Tindrl."

"I am fine." Said Alva. "But while I was walking, I thought that maybe whoever was behind this might be at the Diamond Palace. You did mention that it might be the reason for all this." She bounced slightly on the balls of her feet as she waited for an answer.

"Er... Yes. I assume you'll lead us there?" Asked the Doctor. Peri looked at him, wondering why he was acting so suspicious.

"Yes. Of course." Said Alva. She smiled widely and started walking off, waving her hand. "This way."

"Mm. Yes. Come along Peri." Said the Doctor, starting off after her in quite a nonchalant fashion. Peri walked along beside him, watching Alva's back. She noticed that every so often, the girl would peek at them, as though to make sure they weren't creeping up on her.

"See that too?" Whispered the Doctor, leaning closer to her. "It's as if she's watching us to make sure we don't try anything." Peri nodded.

"Why do you think that is?" She whispered back. Alva glanced at them again and noticed them whispering. She quickened her pace, taking long, stiff strides.

"I have a few ideas." He muttered before walking up to Alva, falling into step beside her.

"So, Alva." He said jovially. She glanced at him nervously. "Have you met anybody out here, or seen any evidence of anyone?" Her eyes flickered wildly before she shook her head. A decent sign she was lying, thought the Doctor.

"Hm." Said the Doctor, edging closer to her. "A shame."

"Yes." Said Alva, moving away. "It is a shame."

"Hm." Said the Doctor. He made sure to keep near Alva, and motioned for Peri to do so as well. She complied, not knowing where this was going.

"Is there anything else?" Alva squeaked.

"Hm? No." Said the Doctor. "Just walking."

"Alva, are you sure you're not hiding anything?" Asked Peri.

"I am absolutely positive!" Alva insisted, trying to move ahead of them. The Doctor kept in step with her and made sure that Peri did too.

"I don't believe you." He said. "You don't have to have my intellect to know that you're hiding something." He reached out to grab Alva's arm, but the girl ran away, leaving the Doctor grasping at thin air. "After her!" He said. "Hurry up Peri!"

Peri took off after them, stumbling over the roots of the trees and slipping on the leaves. In a few minutes, she had a healthy respect for Alva, who wasn't having any trouble navigating the treacherous ground. At least she hadn't face-planted, like the Doctor had, she thought as they reached a clearing, a hot spring with a path of stepping stones through its middle.

But when she saw who was there, holding his TCE to Alva's head, she skidded to a stop.

"You." Said the Doctor, glaring at him. "I thought we killed you! Those Tyrannosauruses should have ripped you to shreds!"

"How luckily they didn't." Said the Master, leering at them. "For me at least."

"Master." Breathed Peri.

"Hello again." Said the Master.

"What do you want?" Asked the Doctor, stepping forward. The Master pushed his TCE against Alva's head and the Doctor stepped back.

"Really Doctor?" He asked, chuckling. "I'd have thought it'd have been obvious!"

"The Diamond Palace?" Asked Peri.

"Hm. Your companion figured it out before you did." Said the Master. "You must be slipping."

"Oh come on!" Said the Doctor. "That much is elementary! What do you want it for? You wouldn't use mind control on a F'Tindril and massacre a colony just to acquire a palace... Well..." The Doctor shrugged. "Maybe you would. But the point still stands."

"You know me too well." Said the Master, carefully stepping back onto the stones and dragging Alva along. "Yes, there is a master plan. But!" The Master paused. "I don't think I'll tell you. Au revoir!" He said, throwing Alva into the spring before making a break for the other side. As he reached the tree line, the F'Tindril came out, hissing.

"Kill them!" He ordered, pointing at them. "And actually do it this time!"

"Run, Peri!" Shouted the Doctor, wading into the spring as Alva paddled towards him. "Hurry!"

Peri started off towards the tree-line as the Doctor helped Alva out. They took off through the woods, the snake right behind them. Peri ran as fast as she could, but then her foot broke through a thin layer of leaf litter and she fell. She desperately tried to pull her foot out, but it wouldn't give.

"DOCTOR!" Peri screamed, looking up into the eyes of the snake as it leered down at her.

**Bloody: Dun dun dun... Le gasp!**

**Unicorn: In case you're wondering, the restaurant was a flop. Bloody and her psycho friends hooked Five and Tegan up, made them kiss, and then they almost killed us.**

**Bloody: We're going to do Saxon!Master and Grace Halloway next!**

**Eight: You're going to ****_WHAT_****?!**

**Bloody: Oops. Bye!**


End file.
